11 Ways to Succeed in Your New Job

1:53 AM

So it’s your first day in your new job. You might be quite excited, ready to get your teeth stuck i...

So it’s your first day in your new job. You might be quite excited,
ready to get your teeth stuck in and show them what you can do. Or you
might be super-­nervous and having flashbacks of your first day at
school, praying this time you won’t need a change of underwear. Whatever
you’re feeling, here are some practical tips to help you successfully
ease into your new environment and thrive!

1) Know your job inside and out

When starting a new job, it is crucial you gain a clear
understanding of your role and how it fits into the company. Sit with
your boss and go through each of your responsibilities and objectives as
soon as possible. If you do not have a written job description,
politely insist on one. Find out what is the purpose of your role. How
does it help the company achieve its overall goals? Which departments
and individuals will you be working closely with? Who depends on you?
Who do you need to get to know? Understanding this will allow you to
make an instant impact.

2) Focus on the bigger picture

To fully understand the company’s objectives and how it operates,
go in like a sponge. Watch, listen and learn. Ask to attend as many
meetings as you can. Learn about the different departments, what they
do, how they work and interact with the other departments. Find out
who’s who and what areas they cover. This will help you make a smooth
and effective start in your new role.

3) What can you do for the company?

Going in with the attitude of “What can I do for the company?” and
not “What can the company do for me?” is crucial for a strong start.
Anyone seen as selfish with only their own interests at heart will not
be up for promotion any time soon. Go the extra mile, work outside the
boundaries of your job description (with the permission of your boss)
and focus on being a team player. You’ll get the thumbs up from all
sides and feel good about yourself. It’s a win-win situation.

4) Treat everyone with respect and help where you can

Your title is just a title. It does not make you more or less of a
human being than the next person. Be respectful of everyone. Offer help
where you can. Build relationships with everyone – from the doorman to
the Managing Director. Make friends and build a support network. Trust
me, you will need it. Knowing who you can to turn to for advice or
information will help you deal with almost any situation work throws at
you.If someone treats you with disrespect, hold your head high, be the
better person and still treat them with respect. Now I’m not saying you
should bring them their favorite pumpkin-spiced soya latte every
morning. Simply be civil and respectful. Over time, people will admire
you for it.

5) Find someone to model or a mentor

Proximity is power. Who you spend time with is who you become. If
you want to be successful, you need to hang around with successful
people. People who have higher standards than yours.If you used the interview
opportunity correctly, you should have already picked a boss that will
be a good mentor for you. However, if you end up with a distinctly
average boss, or the boss you picked leaves, then look out for other
inspirational and successful people in the company. The ones that truly
support, motivate and encourage the growth and development of everyone
in the company. Watch how they interact with others. How they treat
people. How they motivate their teams. How they deal with conflict. How
they problem-solve. Then model them. Really want to succeed? Take it a
step further and ask them to mentor you.

6) Choose wisely who you accept advice from

I learnt this the hard way. On my first day at work my boss hadn’t
arrived yet so the CFO decided to brief me on my role. I was to support
him and the CEO. He said if any of the other Directors tried to give me
work, I was to push back. They would try to take advantage of me and I
was not to let them use me. As he was the CFO, I trusted his judgement
and I pushed back as advised. HUGE mistake. As it turned out, he had
issues of his own with the Directors and always said “no” when asked for
help. He was seen in the company as “The Blocker” and was viewed as a
negative influence in the company.As the Directors saw it, I had picked the wrong side. It took me
about a year to fix some of those relationships. One actually never
recovered at all. Work in the first year was very hard, and sometimes
pretty lonely. So get your advice from multiple sources, especially from
your actual boss.

7) Stay away from gossip

Gossiping is considered unprofessional, disrespectful and childish
by most companies. People who gossip will unlikely make any progress up
the corporate ladder. Remember, who you hang around with is who you
become. Hang around with the gossipers and you too will stay at the
bottom of the ladder. If someone approaches you with gossip, politely
change the subject and make sure whatever they have told you ends with
you.

8) Be fearless

Most of the time, it is not our abilities that hinder our success
but our fear. Fear of failure and what that could mean. The fact is
there is no such thing as failure – only feedback. If you do something,
and it doesn’t go to plan, it doesn’t mean you’ve failed. All it means
is that something didn’t work and a change of strategy is required.
Appreciate that life is just a series of experiences that we are meant
to learn from. Take note of whatever feedback is given, learn the lesson
and implement the appropriate change. It’s that simple. If you need
help, ask for it. You are not God. You do not know it all. And you are
not expected to know it all either.As psychologist and personal development author Susan Jeffers says,
“Feel the fear and do it anyway.” It’s in the moments of facing our
fears we grow the most.

9) Be solution-focused not problem-focused

Banging on your boss’s door every time you have a problem will only
give them a massive headache. They will be having a hard enough time
tackling problems of their own, let alone yours. Ease their pain by
doing your best to provide them with solutions and not problems. Even if
your solutions aren’t perfect, your boss will appreciate your efforts.
The last thing they will want is everything grinding to a halt at the
first sign of difficulty. If you cannot solve the problem on your own,
have the courage to ask for help from your colleagues or mentor. It is
better to solve the problem with help than not at all.

10) Make yourself visible

And no, I don’t mean make yourself visible by turning up to your
first day at work wearing a tiger costume. I mean introduce yourself to
people. Get involved in as many projects as you can. Help people where
you can. Express your ideas in meetings. Tell your boss what you
achieved that day/week/month. Do this and you will quickly be noticed as
a potential talent. The flip-side is people will be more likely to see
you “mess up” too. So making yourself visible takes solid confidence and
self-belief.
You have to be certain that even if you mess up, you will be able to
quickly learn from your mistakes and do better next time - while holding
your head high. If you want to be seen as a talent, you have to see
yourself as one too.

11) Avoid burn out!

I’ve seen it many times. People are so focused on making a great
first impression that they forget to look after themselves. They work
all hours of the day, don’t sleep or rest, live off caffeine and sugar
for energy, don’t exercise and then after 3 months they burn out. They
are so exhausted that even a $5000 cheque wouldn’t get them out of bed.
In case it isn't obvious, this is not good. Not only will you feel ill
but your boss and other leaders in the company will start to question
why they hired you. Make your health a priority – mental and physical.
Take the necessary steps to ensure you perform at your best. Be the best
version of you in everything you do, and you will not only thrive in
your career, but in life too.